Resistance is Utile

It was just a few more pounds. You wouldn’t think I’d even notice, but I did. I bumped up the weight in my workout this morning, and even though it was an increase of just a few pounds, I noticed it. I had to work just a bit harder to complete the set, and that is a good thing.

As I lifted the weights, this phrase came into my mind: “resistance is futile”. I’m not sure of its origin but I think I first heard it from the mouth of a villain in a movie. He had the hero in a bad situation and he wanted to finish the job by convincing the hero that the situation was so dire, there was no point in even trying to escape. If you can convince your enemy that they have already lost, it saves you the effort of having to oppose him. It was a great strategy for the villain in that movie, but it is a horrible strategy for you to use in your life.

Many people have bought into the lie that “resistance is futile”. These people believe the system is rigged. Everything is against them. The environment is on a collision course with disaster; technology is stealing all of our jobs; and the government Is stealing our money. For people with this mindset, the fix is in and, to steal the villainous catch phrase, “resistance is futile.” There are many problems with this mindset, but the most critical is that when you choose to believe there is no hope, you give up your powerful to influence the situation.

My suggestion to you today is to consider that the opposite may be true. What if resistance is not only not futile, but actually utile (u·tile1ˈyo͞otl,ˈyo͞oˌtīl/ adjective – advantageous.) What if resistance isn’t an obstacle but rather a facilitator?

[bctt tweet=”What if resistance is not only not futile, but actually utile (u·tile1ˈyo͞otl,ˈyo͞oˌtīl/ adjective – advantageous.) What if resistance isn’t an obstacle but rather a facilitator? #resistance #resilience #resilient #leadership” username=”MarkBlackSpeaks”]

The only way to grow muscle is to break it down. When you exercise, especially when you lift weights, you stress your muscles. They are not accustomed to working that hard and that stress causes them to work harder than normal and creates micro tears. That may sound bad, but it is actually beneficial. Those micro tears will be repaired by your body in the hours and days after the workout and it is in the repairing that your muscles grow. When it comes to muscle, no stress means no growth.

The same principle applies to any area of your life. If you want to get better at anything, you have to push beyond the resistance of your comfort zone and your routine, into the unknown. Routine and comfort are significant sources of resistance because most of us would much rather stay in these safe zones than move beyond to the unknown. So rather than trying to avoid resistance because you think there is not point, embrace it. Resistance can become your best friend if you channel it properly.

The wait in traffic can cause you to grow in patience

The struggle to get your business off the ground will help you to learn new skills and develop necessary perseverance

That difficult colleague or customer can teach you how to deal with difficult people more effectively

Every time we encounter resistance in our lives, we can choose to be frustrated and discouraged, and ultimately conclude “resistance is futile” and give up. Or, we can embrace resistance as an opportunity for growth and innovation.